Donora man arrested in assault case

DONORA – A Donora man is in custody after recovering from injuries he suffered during a fight with his neighbors after he allegedly fired a gunshot into their residence in November.

Donora police on Friday arrested Robert Zalandonis Jr. of 519 Castner Ave. on a warrant charging him with 14 counts of aggravated assault, seven counts of reckless endangerment and one count each of burglary, discharging a firearm into an occupied structure and criminal trespass, court records show.

His wife, Heather Rae Zalandonis, 34, also is charged in the case with burglary, criminal conspiracy and hindering apprehension, court records indicate.

Police said Robert Zalandonis kicked open the front door of the 519 Rear Castner Ave. residence of Deaubre Lightfoot about 1 a.m. Nov. 20 to confront him about trespassing on his yard and also using racial slurs, the affidavit shows.

Once inside with his wife, Zalandonis allegedly pointed a loaded .45-caliber handgun at seven people in Lightfoot’s residence and threatened to kill them. He then fired a round into the residence after leaving, with the bullet lodging in the floor, police stated in court records.

Robert Zalandonis later returned to make amends, police said. One of the occupants, Jamie Lightfoot, decided to leave, brushing by Zalandonis. A large fight then broke out, with Robert Zalandonis being flown by helicopter to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Police said Heather Zalandonis denied accusations her husband brandished a weapon during the dispute, saying she didn’t know where her husband kept the gun before leading police to where it rested above the refrigerator in their kitchen, the record shows.

She and her husband are free on $25,000 bonds set by District Judge Mark Wilson.